Blake Whitney

PROJECTS

VIDEO: K9 Advantix Campaign

Rebranding/Repackaging Project

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Auburn MBA, Wharton Business School Alum, Fortune 500 Executive and Marketing Leader: Held senior-level sales and marketing positions for both a Fortune 500 company as well as a rapidly growing $1B organization. Consistently recognized for ability to effectively coach and manage sales and marketing team as well as prepare direct reports for succession.

Entrepreneurial Experience / Turnaround Management: Utilized sales and marketing expertise gained within major corporations to position a growing start-up for acquisition. Served as a marketing expert for several companies trying to establish appropriate product / company positioning and messaging.

Proven Track Record – Across Major Corporate Functions: Successful track record as Technical Sales Representative, Regional Sales Manager, Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, and most recently, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing.

International Experience: Collaborated with business partners globally, with additional international travel to Belgium and Hungary.

CONSISTENT RECORD OF SUCCESS:

Product Manager of the Year 2002

Regional Sales Manager of the Year 1998

Sales Representative of the Year 1996

Achievements:

CONSUMER BRAND MANAGEMENT: Successfully managed one of the largest consumer brands in the animal health industry with direct oversight of $40M communications budget.

CONSUMER PRODUCT LAUNCH: Effectively launched a brand extension consumer product while minimizing the cannibalization of pioneer brand; new product launch had industry expectation of less than $10M in annual sales. By year four, product generating in excess of $110M in annual sales.

BRAND POSITIONING: Grew niche product sales by more than 250% through strategic repositioning.

Skills include:

Innate ability to effectively establish the needs of the consumer/customer through both qualitative and quantitative market research.

Ability to then utilize that information to build an effective, strategic marketing plan that will resonate with the customer and meet and/or exceed the company’s expectations.

Establish effective working relationships with advertising agencies, public relations firms, market research companies, and internal and external customers.

Position Snapshot

Alumnus of:

Work experience

Nov 2008Present

President

Grass-Ridge Consulting, LLC

Develop and execute marketing plans and sales strategies for various companies ranging from new business entities to Fortune 500 companies.

2005Dec 2008

Senior Director of Sales and Marketing

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Pharmaceutical Division

Decreased Sales Teamturnover by 50% while simultaneously growing sales by 6% over previous year, through modification of sales incentive plan designed to create better alignment between division goals and sales compensation.

Grew niche pharmaceutical products with a previously flat-to-declining growth rate at an average rate of 18% per year over a two-year period, generating an additional $2.7 million in revenue per year for an initiative investment of $465,000.

Worked closely with New Business Development group to effectively market Pharmaceutical division for a profitable divestiture. The business was successfully sold in December 2008.

Elected to Commercial Review Board to assist IDEXX Laboratories in positioning of upcoming market offerings.

Developed highly effective marketing and sales initiatives to increase market share and Company Brand awareness within the veterinary community.

Directed market research to successfully drive product development initiatives, product positioning and messaging.

Coordinated and managed focus groups/advisory boards to analyze and respond to market demands/needs.

Initiated alliances with other animal health companies as appropriate.

Oversaw all marketing activities within Pharmaceuticals Division and acted as a consultant to other corporate divisions.

19952005

Director of Marketing

Bayer HealthCare, LLC.

Built team and developed 10 direct reports - Marketing Manager, 5 Brand Managers, 4 support positions.

Significantly improved inter-division and department communication and creative concept sourcing through the establishment and ongoing management of Companion Advisory Sales Team (CAST) – a group of 8 handpicked sales representatives with diversified geographical locations and experience levels. Group established to create a healthy line of communication between sales and marketing and varying layers of management.

Marketing Manager - Parasiticides, 2002-2003

Named Marketing Manager of the Year

Established an effective marketing campaign that touched veterinarians, their staff and end-user through effective television commercial development, placement, print media, trade journals, and public relations initiatives. Total marketing budget exceeded $40M.

Identified product needs/development, pricing strategies, and marketing programs for future line extensions within the brand.

Collaborated with Research and Development and Regulatory Affairs to establish resource allocation insuring timely product introduction.

Re-elected to Sales/Marketing Liaison team – Represented sales group on all marketing related projects to ensure cooperative teamwork between two key areas of business.

Appointed to Marketing/Sales taskforce – Responsible for implementing national marketing programs, based upon Regional template.

Appointed by Senior Leadership to co-chair task force to establish future forms of distribution for existing and forthcoming product line.

Appointed by Senior Leadership to chair task force to automate the outside sales force. Assisted in selection of appropriate software, format, and design layout. Designed and implemented appropriate training programs.

Appointed to Bayer Council –Served on an advisory board and reported to senior management on behalf of sales management team.

Technical Sales Representative, 1995-1998

Awarded Bayer Animal Health’s Sales Representative of the Year

Selected Field Sales Trainer

Appointed to Bayer Council –Served on Sales Force advisory board

First representative within Bayer’s worldwide organization to achieve $1,000,000.00 in Advantage® sales

19921995

Territory Manager,

Mallinckrodt Veterinary Incorporated

NamedRookie of the Year 1993

Marketed extensive line of pharmaceuticals, biologicals, and surgical supplies to veterinarians in the Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia markets.